Nail-cutter



J; T. LEWIS.

NAIL GUTTER.

- (No Model.)

No. 464,341. Patented Dec. 1, 1891.

l/VVE/VTOR W (0.

ATTORNEY.

1112 news PETERS ca, PHoro-umm, WASHINGTON, o c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES T. LEWIS, OF IVY DEPOT, VIRGINIA.

NAIL-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,341, dated December 1,1891.

Application filed September 1, 1891.

Serial No. 404,419. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern."

Be it known that .I, J AMES T. LEWIS, of Ivy Depot, in the county of Albemarle and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nail-Cutters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in nail parers or cutters.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved device for cutting or paring finger or toe nails, the operative portion of which is formed in one piece and is so constructed that the nails can be quickly and easily pared without discomfort or pulling or tearing, and so that the cutter will not cut the nail to the quick, but will be guided in its movements.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in combinations of parts more fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation. Fig. 2 is an edge view. Fig. 3 is a view showing the invention as in use.

a indicates the blade, provided with a handle 1). (Shown as integral with the blade.) The outer end of the blade is tapered to a point, as shown at c, to adapt it for cleaning the nail and for pressing back the cuticle. A file d .can also be formed in the side of the blade for smoothing off the nails. The blade near'its outer end is provided with a slight lateral projection e. This projection is so shaped in the direction of the handle as to form an acute angle with the adjacent part of the blade, and its sides above the angle are beveled both toward the handle and toward the angle to form that side of the angle into a cutting-edge, which edge meeting the upper part of the tapering sides forms therewith a sharp point toward the handle. The edge of the blade at the base of this cutting-edge f is beveled down on both sides to form a cutting-edge g, said two cutting-edges f and g meeting and formingan acute angle, and at the apex of the angle the metal is somewhat rounded and beveled on both sides to form a third cutting-edge h. These edges are all beveled down, so that the knife will cut from either side, and opposite sides of the blades are provided with guards 41, formed by two small cylindrical lugs rounded on the ends and integral with the blade and located exactly opposite each other, so as to project at right angles from opposite faces of the blade, and so as to be flush, or nearly so, with the edge of the blade on which the cutting-edges are located, and said guards are preferably located at or slightly in front of the base of the inclined cutting-edgef, as shown, so that when one of the guards is inserted behind the nail and the instrument is drawn forward a guard will press down the quick just in front of the cutting-edges, and so that the quick just behind the portion of the nail being cut by said edges will be pressed down, so as not to be cut by the same. These guards also prevent the edges from cutting too close to the quick or from cutting the quick itself. The shape of the cutting-edges is suchthat the nail is cut easily and quickly and cleanly without discomfiture or pulling or tearing by merely inserting one of the guards behind the nail and drawing the blade along in a plane parallel with its length-thatis, instead of lying transversely across the nail the blade extends parallel with the width of the nail and is drawn along in the direction of the handle.

The great accuracy and quickness with which this instrument can be used with all safety is attained because of the combination of the guards with the peculiar inclined and angular cutting-edges.

Heretofore protective nail-parers have been formed by placinga couple of flat rectangular flanges on opposite sides of the blade, so that when they are inserted behind the nail they will press flatly against the same and the blade will extend squarely across the nail at right angles thereto. The blade of these old devices cannot be inclined at an angle to the nail because of the flanges behind the nail, which would tear the nail and turn into the flesh if the blade were twisted so as to extend IOG or from the person.

at an angle across the nail. Of course it is well known that it is very difficult, if not almost impossible, to out a nail when the blade extends squarely across the nail at right angles thereto and is moved directly forward.

In my construction the guards are rounded, so that they do not injure or feel uncomfortable when bearing against the quick and so that they permit turning of the instrument while in use to almost any angle or to shape or cut the nail in a peculiar way. The guards do not interfere in any way with the action of the cutting-edges, nor do the cutting-edges prevent or interfere with the use of the guards. The instrument can be turned to cut the nails in any desired shape or any de sired part or to cut from either side or toward In fact, it can be used in the dark without the least danger.

The invention can be applied to penknives as a substitute for the present file-blade, and it can be manufactured in many styles and shapes and to cost various amounts. It can be used with or without the file or pointed end, and soft metal can be employed with blades inserted to form the cutting-edges.

The instruments can be made of varied sizes for children or persons of mature ages. The guards can be varied in length, so that the nails can be cut varied lengths.

Of course, although it is preferred to have the instrument provided with guards on both sides and constructed to cut on either side,

yet it can be made with but oneguard and to cut from one side only. The sharp point formed at the end of edge f and projection 6 can also be used for pressing back or cutting the cuticle or for cleaning the nails.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The herein-described nail-cutter, consisting of the blade having the lateral projection, the inner edge of which is sharpened to a cutting-edge at an acute angle to the adjacent edge of the blade and to the length of the blade, and the guards to fit behind the nail, formed by cylindrical rounded lugs projecting from the sides of the blade at the inner end of said edge, substantially as set forth.

2. A nail-cutter consisting of the blade having the lateral pointed projection forming an acute angle with the adjacent edge of the blade, the adjacent edges of the blade and projection formed into cutting-edges, the edge at the meeting-point of said edges rounded and formed into a cutting-edge, and the side lugs on the blade forming guards to fit behind the nail, substantially as described.

3. A nail-cutter consisting of the blade having a pointed end and a lateral pointed pro- JAMES T. LEW'IS'. Witnesses; i

O. H. ANDERSON, J. W. J ONES. 

